Super Hawk (oz9818)

About this Plan

Superhawk. Contest winning aerobatic control line model. 56in span, for 0.35-0.45 motors.

Quote: "THE SUPERHAWK is a development of my earlier Kittyhawk designs with which I had a fair amount of success in the early seventies. The weight increase due to repairs after an unfortunate prang before the Nats in '75 took the edge off the performance of my No. 1 Kittyhawk and so a modified version with tapered wing planform, modified section and increased rear fuselage side area was hurriedly built for the team trials, coloured in 'civvy' colours for speed of finishing and renamed the 'Hawk'. The plane was very sweet to handle straight off the board and produced many contest successes, powered by an Enya 35.

Following the fashion for larger models, a 6% larger version was drawn up to suit a newly acquired Enya 40. For purely practical transport reasons the wing was made detachable and this, together with the heavier engine unit, contributed to making the larger model some 6oz heavier than the Hawk, although the wing loading and power loading were still similar. Re-named the Superhawk the larger model made its debut in 1977. Two further versions of the same model have been built with only minor changes and the three models have been my main contest stable since then with great success. The first two models weighed 55oz less fuel and were Enya 40 powered, whilst the last one, due to poorer wood selection, weighed in at 57oz. Some improvement was felt with the heaviest one by using an Enya 45 and this is now standard for this latest model.

A saving of some 2 to 2-1/2 oz would be achieved by using a one-piece model, provided that transport is no problem. The three-wing mounts would then be dispensed with.

Construction is very straightforward and robust, the models having all given stirling service with no structural problems. However they cannot ever claim to be light-weights and wood selection becomes very important to avoid going over the top. I believe that covered, carefully selected soft sheet is simpler, very much tougher and comparable in weight to a built-up structure which would require harder wood.

The wing section has been developed for use with flaps and is capable of reaching high angles of attack and lift before reaching a stall condition. It will also allow the Centre of Gravity to be moved well back whilst still remaining stable, thus making turns easier at high angles. Detachable wing mounts of the traditional type with fixings only at front and rear are subjected to both severe aerodynamic loads in turns and to considerable twisting forces due to centrifugal effects, particularly in wind..."

Superhawk, Aeromodeller, June 1984

Direct submission to Outerzone.

Supplementary file notes

Article pages, thanks to RFJ.

Corrections?

Did we get something wrong with these details about this plan (especially the datafile)? That happens sometimes. You can help us fix it.
Add a correction